title: Design of acidochromic dyes for facile preparation of pH sensor layers.
abstract: Eight new acidochromic dyes have been synthesised that can be used for optically monitoring pH in the range from 3 to 12. Their corresponding pK(a) values have been both measured and calculated theoretically by means of density functional theory. The synthesis of these new dyes is facile without the need for chromatographic purification. The dyes can be covalently linked to polymers containing hydroxyl functions such as cellulose, polyurethane hydrogel, and hydroxyalkyl methacrylate. The resulting sensor layers exhibit significant colour changes both in the UV and in the visible spectral range.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physical Chemistry, Friedrich-Schiller University Jena, Lessing St. 10, 07743, Jena, Germany. gerhard.mohr@uni-jena.de
authors.forename: Gerhard J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Mohr
authors.forename: Heidrun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bussemer
authors.forename: Annegret
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Carofiglio
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Trupp
authors.forename: Rüdiger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heuermann
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Henkel
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Escudero
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: González